Dual fulcrum diving board



March 29, 1938. p v, TOWNSEND 2,112,315

DUAL FULCRUM DIVING BOARD Filed Feb. 4, 1937 [)1 (/en 25 or Paul T[ Townsend A? 25 tom 95 Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in diving boards for swimming pool equipment and has for its object the broadening and easing of the bending of the board by providing two contacts separated longitudinally of the board from each other, at the fulcrum, instead of having but the usual single fulcrum contact.

A further object is to reduce the crushing of the wood fiber by one half at the fulcrum by a distribution and equalization of the pressure between two contacts instead of concentrating it at one, and to cushion the fulcrums at both contacts.

The object also is to make the dual contacts adjustable along a supporting frame to secure the best results from boards of different stiffnesses and for divers of different weights.

The object finally is to provide a very simple and rugged diving board assembly which will not get out of order and which will be inexpensive and durable.

I accomplish the above, and other objects that will hereinafter appear, by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a, perspective view of a diving board embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragment in perspective, on a larger scale showing my improved dual bearing for a diving board; the board being removed in this view to show the underlying parts.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawing.

The diving board is supported on a frame preferably comprising a pair of parallel horizontal pipes 3 and 4,'and a transverse inner end pipe 5 which are supported by vertical posts 6, here shown as six in number, but this number may be varied within any limit which will insure ample strength and durability to the assembly for the use intended.

A board I, which may be of one piece or laminated wood, approximately 14 feet long and 20 inches wide or varied to suit requirements, is secured at one end to the transverse pipe 5 by suitable clips 8, and the rest of the board is supported from the pipes 3 and 4 by my improved dual fulcrum which I will now describe in detail:

Sleeves 9 and 10 are slidably adjustable in longitudinal directions upon the respective frame pipes 3 and 4 and are held in any given position by set screws I l. Extending upwardly from each sleeve are standards 12 which support a fixed horizontal shaft or pipe 13. Bars [4 and I5 have holes at their midlengths for the passage therethrough of the pipe I3, whereby the bars have rocking adjustment upon the pipe.

Steel fulcrum rollers l6 and 11 have end trunnions 18 which are journaled in suitable holes in the respective ends of the bars 14 and Ill. The 5 rollers I6 and I! are cushioned with rubber cylinders l9 which are vulcanized to the metal of the rollers.

The board 1, secured at one end by clips to the pipe 5 is supported upon the rollers 16 and II in the manner shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of my device the diver stands on the free end of the board and jumps up and down in the usual manner to develop the spring action, and with each movement of the board both of the rollers will retain equal contact with the under side of the board by the rocking of the bars 14 and about the pipe 13. The pressure against the under side of the board is along two contacts, where the rollers touch the board, thereby dividing and easing the bending of the board and distributing and reducing the crushing of the wood fiber of-the board-between the two widely separated lines fof contact.

The rollers have a rocking adjustment about the fulcrum pipe enabling them to make constant contact with the board and the rollers are adjustable longitudinally of the board by sliding the sleeves 9 and Ill on frame pipes 3 and 4 according to the stiffness of the board and weight of the diver.

While I have here described and illustrated the best form of my invention now known to me it is capable of variations in construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore reserve the right to make all changes coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dual fulcrum for diving boards comprising a pair of sleeves, a pipe supported at its ends from a, respective sleeve, a pair of bars rockably mounted on the pipe and a pair of rollers one at each end of the pair of bars journaled in the bars as a bearing for the board.

2. In a fulcrum for diving boards having a frame, a fulcrum shaft sup-ported at each end from the frame, a plurality of bars rockably supported by the shaft and a pair of rollers, one supported at each end of the bars.

3. In a fulcrum for diving boards having a frame, a. fulcrum shaft supported at each end from the frame, a plurality of bars rockably supported by the shaft and a pair of rollers, one supported at each end of the bars and journaled therein, the rollers being cushioned with rubber.

4. In a diving board comprising a frame having a pair of parallel pipes, a pair of sleeves each adapted to slide on a pipe, means for retaining a given adjustment of the sleeves, a fulcrum pipe supported at each of its ends from a respective one of said sleeves, a pair of bars rockably mounted on the fulcrum pipe, and a pair of rollers journaled to respective ends of the bars.

5. A frame, a diving board fixed at one end to the frame, and a fulcrum between the ends of the board making double spaced apart contacts with the board swingingly adjustable about the fulcrum.

6. A frame, a diving board fixed at one end to the frame, and a fulcrum between the ends of the board making double spaced apart contacts with the board swingingly adjustable about the fulcrum, said fulcrum and contacts being adjustable longitudinally of the frame and board.

'7. A frame, a diving board fixed at one end to the frame, and a fulcrum between the ends of the board making double spaced apart contacts with the board, said contacts making automatic adjustment around the fulcrum with the board.

8. A frame, a diving board fixed at one end to the frame, and a fulcrum between the ends of the board making double spaced apart contacts with the board, said contacts making rocking adjustment around the fulcrum with the movement of the board.

9. A frame, a diving board fixed at one end to the frame, and a fulcrum between the ends of the board making double spaced apart contacts with the board, said contacts making rocking adjustment around the fulcrum with the movement of the board, and said fulcrum and contacts being adjustable longitudinally of the frame and board.

PAUL V. TOWNSEND. 

